This invention concerns means for enclosing compartments, and is particularly directed to the closure of electronic component compartments and control panels.
Compartments and control panels usually have some type of closure panel in the form of a door or lid for providing internal access to the contained components. The closure panel provides protection from dirt and physical damage, and in the case of a control panel lid, conceals the controls when they are not in use. Closure panels are normally designed for opening and closing by some sort of pivoting means usually in the form of a conventional hinge.
It is usually necessary to provide means for retaining the closure panel for a compartment in a closed position, and alternately, in an open position. The general requirements for such means include positive action, design simplicity for ease of installation in manufacture, and removal in servicing; and preferably, operation of the closure panel with only one hand.
Perhaps the best known and most representative device for such door and lid retention is the "cabinet latch." The cabinet latch consists of a slotted member pivoted at one end to the cabinet. A follower member attached to the door or lid travels in the slot, and the limit to which the door can be opened is controlled by the length of the latch and the slot. The door or lid is usually retained in the open position by some form of detent, which may be a simple notch in the slot, or a more elaborate mechanism using a pawl or "dog." The disadvantages of the cabinet latch usually include the requirement for two-hand operation, no retention of the door or lid in the closed position (so some form of catch or lock is required), relative complexity in design, and time consuming means of attachment and removal. Also, the cabinet latch and the attaching parts are vulnerable to damage by inadvertent forcing of the closure member into the closed position by the user with resulting damage to the latch and/or attaching parts.